Trash can with integrated exterior pouch for dispensing of plastic trash can liners

ABSTRACT

A trashcan/liner dispensing system that is an integral part of the trashcan. The invention involves a pouch located on the upper, exterior portion of one of the sidewalls of the trashcan that contains a disposable cartridge filled with plastic liners. The sides of the pouch containment area are lined with retention devices thereby minimizing the movement of the contained liners during use. By locating the dispenser on the outside upper portion of the trashcan, the size of the trashcan is only slightly increased and the cartridge of plastic trashcan liners is not susceptible to soiling by trash that may leak from the liner that contains trash inside of the trashcan.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of trash containers and their liners. Specifically, this invention involves a liner dispensing system into a trash can that is an integral part of the trash can, located on the upper portion of one of the sidewalls of the trash can with a disposable cartridge filled with plastic liners.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For hygiene and tidiness, trashcans in almost all contexts are kept with plastic liners that can remove the waste from the trashcan and keep the trash can clean. Generally, the liners are kept in a place separate from the trash can, thereby requiring that once the trash can liner has been filled and disposed of, a person has to go to the second location where the liners are, remove one from that area and replace it in the trashcan. There have been liner dispensers in the prior that are part of the trashcan.

Shuval in U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,809 teaches of a trash can container with an automatic liner bag feed. This invention involves a dispenser that is located on the outside of the can, thereby increasing the overall size of the trashcan. A similar invention is disclosed by Tucker in U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,786.

Tracy teaches in U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,405 a liner dispenser that is located inside the trash can, but on the bottom of the trashcan. When a trash liner in use breaks or leaks, it can soil and damage the replacement liners located at the bottom of the can. Gola in U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,424 describes a similar bottom storing liner container. Similar patents involving bottom-dispensing devices include Cuccharia in U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,292, Falk in U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,259, Van Brackle in U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,041 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,859.

Accordingly, there exists a need for a trash can liner dispenser system that is an integral part of a trashcan receptacle, that does not increase the size of the trashcan and is not susceptible to soiling by virtue of it being stored on the bottom of the trashcan.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a trash can/liner dispensing system is described wherein there is an integral pouch that is formed on one of the sidewalls toward the top opening of the trashcan that holds a disposable cartridge containing plastic trashcan liners. Once the cartridge has been exhausted of all the plastic trashcan liners contained therein, the cartridge is discarded and replaced with a new one.

The pouch is designed to protrude toward the outside of the trashcan and toward the top. The pouch is contained entirely on the exterior of the receptacle so as not to interfere with the installation and removal of liners and while the liners are filled with waste in the trash can. This allows the interior sidewall of the trashcan to remain smooth and leave no corners of the pouch exposed. The only exposed portion of the pouch will be the open top that is designed to accept the disposable cartridges filled with new plastic liners.

The pouch is designed into the sidewall of the trashcan. The size of the pouch will be dependent on the required size of the disposable cartridge filled with a pre-determined number of plastic trashcan liners. Because the integrated pouch is located on the sidewall of the trashcan, it will not be crushed by the trash in the can as it is being placed into the liner that is in use. The integrated design of the pouch on the sidewall of the trashcan allows for a supply of plastic trashcan liners to be stored on the outside of the trashcan without impairing the installation or removal of any liners or impairing the use of the trashcan.

Because the pouch is located toward the top of the trashcan, the supply of plastic trashcan liners are protected from contamination due to a tear or failure of the liner in use that may allow trash and waste to spill out into the trashcan bottom and soil the supply of fresh liners. This thin pouch storage system for disposable cartridges containing a supply of plastic trashcan liners will store, supply and protect a quantity of liners.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The principal object of the invention is to provide an integral pouch outside of a trashcan that is located on the sidewall of the trashcan and toward the top, allowing for the dispensing of plastic trashcan liners.

It is another object of the invention that the pouch not alter the space inside of the trashcan for waste collection.

It is another object of the invention that the dispensing system only slightly increase the outside size of the trashcan.

It is another object of the invention that the dispensing system be protected from soiling from liners that are in use that may fail or tear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a side cutout view of the invention as it sits outside of a trashcan.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front cutout view of the invention as it sits outside of a trashcan.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the invention as it sits outside of a trashcan.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN ENABLING AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

For a better understanding of the invention, we turn now to the drawings. FIGS. 1-4 show the invention from three different angles. A traditional trash 10 is described, containing a bottom portion 11, four sidewall portions 12 and an opening 13 at the top for the containment of waste. The pouch 14 has a backside 15 and a front side 16 with an opening 17 at the front side 16 that extends up to the top of the backside 15. The pouch 14 is an integrally formed part of the trash can 10 with the back side 15 of the pouch 14 located on one of the sidewalls 12 of the trash can 10 with the opening 17 of the pouch 14 positioned toward the opening 13 of the trash can 10, with the entire pouch 14 being positioned in the upper portion of the sidewall 12 and protruding slightly into the inside of the trash can 10.

Inside the pouch 14 is a thin, disposable cartridge 18 that contains a supply of plastic trash bags 19. The cartridge 18 is box shaped and has one side open for the dispensing of the plastic trash bags 19. The bottom portion 20 of the pouch is beveled back toward the sidewall 12 of the trashcan 10.

The illustrations and examples provided herein are for explanatory purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims, as those skilled in the art will make modifications to the invention for particular uses. 

1. A trash can/liner dispenser combination comprising a traditional trashcan with a bottom portion, four sidewall portions and an opening at the top for the containment of waste; a pouch with a back side and a front side with an opening at said back side that extends up to the top of said front side, said pouch being integrally formed as part of said trashcan with the front portion of said pouch being located on one of said exterior sidewalls with said opening of said pouch positioned toward said top opening of said trashcan, said entire pouch being positioned in the upper portion of said sidewall and protruding slightly to the outside of said trashcan; a thin, disposable cartridge containing a supply of plastic trash bags, said cartridge being a box shape and having one side open for releasing of said plastic trash bags.
 2. A method for lining trash cans with plastic liners comprising the formation of a trashcan with a bottom portion, four side wall portions and an opening at the top for the containment of waste with a pouch with a back side and a front side with an opening at said front side that extends up to the top of said back side, said pouch being integrally formed as part of said trash can with the back portion of said pouch being located on one of said sidewalls with said opening of said pouch positioned toward said opening of said trashcan, said entire pouch being positioned in the upper portion of said sidewall and protruding slightly into the inside of said trashcan; the placement of a thin, disposable cartridge containing a supply of plastic trash bags, said cartridge being a box shape and having one side open for releasing of said plastic trash bags into said pouch.
 3. A method according to claim 3 wherein the side portions of said pouch restricted in movement by retention devices on each side of said pouch. 